Climber dies after fall on Mount Shasta
MOUNT SHASTA, Calif. — KTVL reports that a climber has died after being seriously injured during a fall on Mount Shasta this weekend.
On Saturday, the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a female stating her climbing partner fell while climbing on Mount Shasta and was unconscious at or near the 11,000 feet level of the mountain.
He reportedly fell on Casaval Ridge in the area of Red Banks.
The man’s companion and reporting party talked to SCSO’s Search and Rescue Coordinator, Deputy Mike Burns, via cellular phone and advised him she had to hike to Lake Helen to get a cell signal sufficient to report the incident.
SCSO contacted the California Highway Patrol and requested a helicopter with hoist capabilities to respond to the scene.
CHP’s helicopter crew arrived at the scene at about 8:55 a.m. and the pilot and paramedic-observer were able to extract Carlos Flores, 24, from Baja California, Mexico, from the mountain.
H-16 crew members transported the man to a waiting ambulance and he ultimately received medical care at Mercy-Mount Shasta Hospital. Due to the severity of his injuries, he was flown to another hospital outside the county for further medical treatment. According to his companion, Mr. Flores injured his ankle while climbing the mountain and attempted to descend the heights on his own. The reporting party continued the climb and during her descent down the mountain, discovered the unresponsive and injured climber later in the day.
On September 2, SCSO’s Dispatch Center was advised by the medical facility that Flores succumbed to the injuries he sustained on the mountain.
"This time of the year the trails can be rocky, icy, and falling rocks are common and helmets, ropes, crampons, and ice axes are recommended for the higher elevations," SAR Deputy Mike Burns said. "Climbers should never venture onto the mountain alone and always apprise someone of your route, time of ascent, and estimated time of return. There are a number of local Mount Shasta guide services and equipment shops available as well, which offer rental equipment appropriate to every recreational endeavor."
